第1章

wasapproachingnightfall。Thesexton，SavelyGykin，waslyinginhishugebedinthehutadjoiningthechurch。Hewasnotasleep，thoughitwashishabittogotosleepatthesametimeasthehens。Hiscoarseredhairpeepedfromunderoneendofthegreasypatchworkquilt，madeupofcolouredrags，whilehisbigunwashedfeetstuckoutfromtheother。Hewaslistening。Hishutadjoinedthewallthatencircledthechurchandthesolitarywindowinitlookedoutupontheopencountry。Andouttherearegularbattlewasgoingon。Itwashardtosaywhowasbeingwipedoffthefaceoftheearth，andforthesakeofwhosedestructionnaturewasbeingchurnedupintosuchaferment；but，judgingfromtheunceasingmalignantroar，someonewasgettingitveryhot。Avictoriousforcewasinfullchaseoverthefields，stormingintheforestandonthechurchroof，batteringspitefullywithitsfistsuponthewindows，ragingandtearing，whilesomethingvanquishedwashowlingandwailing。A

plaintivelamentsobbedatthewindow，ontheroof，orinthestove。Itsoundednotlikeacallforhelp，butlikeacryofmisery，aconsciousnessthatitwastoolate，thattherewasnosalvation。Thesnowdriftswerecoveredwithathincoatingofice；tearsquiveredonthemandonthetrees；adarkslushofmudandmeltingsnowflowedalongtheroadsandpaths。Inshort，itwasthawing，butthroughthedarknighttheheavensfailedtoseeit，andflungflakesoffreshsnowuponthemeltingearthataterrificrate。Andthewindstaggeredlikeadrunkard。Itwouldnotletthesnowsettleontheground，andwhirleditroundinthedarknessatrandom。

Savelylistenedtoallthisdinandfrowned。Thefactwasthatheknew，oratanyratesuspected，whatallthisracketoutsidethewindowwastendingtoandwhosehandiworkitwas。

“Iknow！“hemuttered，shakinghisfingermenacinglyunderthebedclothes；“Iknowallaboutit。“

Onastoolbythewindowsatthesexton’swife，RaissaNilovna。A

tinlampstandingonanotherstool，asthoughtimidanddistrustfulofitspowers，shedadimandflickeringlightonherbroadshoulders，onthehandsome，tempting-lookingcontoursofherperson，andonherthickplait，whichreachedtothefloor。

Shewasmakingsacksoutofcoarsehempenstuff。Herhandsmovednimbly，whileherwholebody，hereyes，hereyebrows，herfulllips，herwhiteneckwereasstillasthoughtheywereasleep，absorbedinthemonotonous，mechanicaltoil。Onlyfromtimetotimesheraisedherheadtorestherwearyneck，glancedforamomenttowardsthewindow，beyondwhichthesnowstormwasraging，andbentagainoverhersacking。Nodesire，nojoy，nogrief，nothingwasexpressedbyherhandsomefacewithitsturned-upnoseanditsdimples。Soabeautifulfountainexpressesnothingwhenitisnotplaying。

Butatlastshehadfinishedasack。Sheflungitaside，and，stretchingluxuriously，restedhermotionless，lack-lustreeyesonthewindow。Thepaneswereswimmingwithdropsliketears，andwhitewithshort-livedsnowflakeswhichfellonthewindow，glancedatRaissa，andmelted。

“Cometobed！“growledthesexton。Raissaremainedmute。Butsuddenlyhereyelashesflickeredandtherewasagleamofattentioninhereye。Savely，allthetimewatchingherexpressionfromunderthequilt，putouthisheadandasked:

“Whatisit？“

“Nothing。Ifancysomeone’scoming，“sheansweredquietly。

Thesextonflungthequiltoffwithhisarmsandlegs，kneltupinbed，andlookedblanklyathiswife。Thetimidlightofthelampilluminatedhishirsute，pock-markedcountenanceandglidedoverhisroughmattedhair。

“Doyouhear？“askedhiswife。

Throughthemonotonousroarofthestormhecaughtascarcelyaudiblethinandjinglingmonotoneliketheshrillnoteofagnatwhenitwantstosettleonone’scheekandisangryatbeingprevented。

“It’sthepost，“mutteredSavely，squattingonhisheels。

Twomilesfromthechurchranthepostingroad。Inwindyweather，whenthewindwasblowingfromtheroadtothechurch，theinmatesofthehutcaughtthesoundofbells。

“Lord！fancypeoplewantingtodriveaboutinsuchweather，“

sighedRaissa。

“It’sgovernmentwork。You’vetogowhetheryoulikeornot。“

Themurmurhungintheairanddiedaway。

“Ithasdrivenby，“saidSavely，gettingintobed。

Butbeforehehadtimetocoverhimselfupwiththebedclothesheheardadistinctsoundofthebell。Thesextonlookedanxiouslyathiswife，leaptoutofbedandwalked，waddling，toandfrobythestove。Thebellwentonringingforalittle，thendiedawayagainasthoughithadceased。

“Idon’thearit，“saidthesexton，stoppingandlookingathiswifewithhiseyesscrewedup。

Butatthatmomentthewindrappedonthewindowandwithitfloatedashrilljinglingnote。Savelyturnedpale，clearedhisthroat，andfloppedaboutthefloorwithhisbarefeetagain。

“Thepostmanislostinthestorm，“hewheezedoutglancingmalignantlyathiswife。“Doyouhear？Thepostmanhaslosthisway！IIknow！DoyousupposeIdon’tunderstand？“

hemuttered。“Iknowallaboutit，curseyou！“

“Whatdoyouknow？“Raissaaskedquietly，keepinghereyesfixedonthewindow。

“Iknowthatit’sallyourdoing，youshe-devil！Yourdoing，damnyou！Thissnowstormandthepostgoingwrong，you’vedoneitall——you！“

“You’remad，yousilly，“hiswifeansweredcalmly。

“I’vebeenwatchingyouforalongtimepastandI’veseenit。

FromthefirstdayImarriedyouInoticedthatyou’dbitch’sbloodinyou！“

“Tfoo！“saidRaissa，surprised，shrugginghershouldersandcrossingherself。“Crossyourself，youfool！“

“Awitchisawitch，“Savelypronouncedinahollow，tearfulvoice，hurriedlyblowinghisnoseonthehemofhisshirt；

“thoughyouaremywife，thoughyouareofaclericalfamily，I’dsaywhatyouareevenatconfession。Why，Godhavemercyuponus！LastyearontheEveoftheProphetDanielandtheThreeYoungMentherewasasnowstorm，andwhathappenedthen？Themechaniccameintowarmhimself。ThenonSt。Alexey’sDaytheicebrokeontheriverandthedistrictpolicemanturnedup，andhewaschattingwithyouallnightthedamnedbrute！AndwhenhecameoutinthemorningandIlookedathim，hehadringsunderhiseyesandhischeekswerehollow！Eh？DuringtheAugustfastthereweretwostormsandeachtimethehuntsmanturnedup。

Isawitall，damnhim！Oh，sheisredderthanacrabnow，aha！“

“Youdidn’tseeanything。“

“Didn’tI！AndthiswinterbeforeChristmasontheDayoftheTenMartyrsofCrete，whenthestormlastedforawholedayandnight——doyouremember？——themarshal’sclerkwaslost，andturneduphere，thehound。Tfoo！Tobetemptedbytheclerk！ItwasworthupsettingGod’sweatherforhim！Adrivellingscribbler，notafootfromtheground，pimplesalloverhismugandhisneckawry！Ifheweregood-looking，anyway——buthe，tfoo！heisasuglyasSatan！“

Thesextontookbreath，wipedhislipsandlistened。Thebellwasnottobeheard，butthewindbangedontheroof，andagaintherecameatinkleinthedarkness。

“Andit’sthesamethingnow！“Savelywenton。“It’snotfornothingthepostmanislost！Blastmyeyesifthepostmanisn’tlookingforyou！Oh，thedevilisagoodhandathiswork；heisafineonetohelp！Hewillturnhimroundandroundandbringhimhere。Iknow，Isee！Youcan’tconcealit，youdevil’sbauble，youheathenwanton！AssoonasthestormbeganIknewwhatyouwereupto。“

“Here’safool！“smiledhiswife。“Why，doyousuppose，youthick-head，thatImakethestorm？“

“H’m！Grinaway！Whetherit’syourdoingornot，Ionlyknowthatwhenyourblood’sonfirethere’ssuretobebadweather，andwhenthere’sbadweatherthere’sboundtobesomecrazyfellowturninguphere。Ithappenssoeverytime！

Soitmustbeyou！“

Tobemoreimpressivethesextonputhisfingertohisforehead，closedhislefteye，andsaidinasingsongvoice:

“Oh，themadness！oh，theuncleanJudas！Ifyoureallyareahumanbeingandnotawitch，yououghttothinkwhatifheisnotthemechanic，ortheclerk，orthehuntsman，butthedevilintheirform！Ah！You’dbetterthinkofthat！“

“Why，youarestupid，Savely，“saidhiswife，lookingathimcompassionately。“Whenfatherwasaliveandlivinghere，allsortsofpeopleusedtocometohimtobecuredoftheague:fromthevillage，andthehamlets，andtheArmeniansettlement。Theycamealmosteveryday，andnoonecalledthemdevils。Butifanyoneonceayearcomesinbadweathertowarmhimself，youwonderatit，yousilly，andtakeallsortsofnotionsintoyourheadatonce。“

Hiswife’slogictouchedSavely。Hestoodwithhisbarefeetwideapart，benthishead，andpondered。Hewasnotfirmlyconvincedyetofthetruthofhissuspicions，andhiswife’sgenuineandunconcernedtonequitedisconcertedhim。Yetafteramoment’sthoughthewaggedhisheadandsaid:

“It’snotasthoughtheywereoldmenorbandy-leggedcripples；

it’salwaysyoungmenwhowanttocomeforthenight。Whyisthat？Andiftheyonlywantedtowarmthemselves——Buttheyareuptomischief。No，woman；there’snocreatureinthisworldascunningasyourfemalesort！Ofrealbrainsyou’venotanounce，lessthanastarling，butfordevilishslyness——

oo-oo-oo！TheQueenofHeavenprotectus！Thereisthepostman’sbell！WhenthestormwasonlybeginningIknewallthatwasinyourmind。That’syourwitchery，youspider！“

“Whydoyoukeeponatme，youheathen？“Hiswifelostherpatienceatlast。“Whydoyoukeepstickingtoitlikepitch？“